This invention relates generally to the field of powered winches, and more particularly to the field of powered winches known as tow or sport winches, whereby the winch is used to rapidly wind up a tow rope being held by a water skier, snow skier, snowboarder, surfer, wake boarder or the like.
The use of powered winches to accelerate and pull a water skier, snow skier, snowboarder, surfer, wake boarder or the like for a distance of several hundred feet is known. The winches are typically relatively large and are either fuel or AC electrically powered. The winches, if not designed for permanent installation, must be transported to a remote location using heavy equipment, trucks or similar devices.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved tow winch, the winch being operated by a DC motor powered by a rechargeable battery, with the winch preferably being small enough to be carried by an individual. It is a further object of this invention to provide such a winch having a wireless throttle control mounted on or incorporated into the tow rope handle, such that the user controls acceleration and speed. It is a further object of this invention to provide such a winch having a wireless kill switch, such that upon operation of the kill switch or release of the tow handle by the user, the winching operation will cease. It is a further object to provide such a winch having a sensor switch and a marker device attached to or incorporated into the tow rope a short distance from tow handle such that if the marker device is sensed by the sensor switch, indicating that the majority of the tow rope has retrieved, the winching operation will cease to prevent injury to the user. It is a further object to provide such a winch in the form of a backpack.